EU Enlargement Debate

Keeping up with promises

The word that is standing pretty often side by side with the 'EU Enlargement' term is a 'tiredness', especially after the problems arose from the Bulgaria and Romania accession process. Future of the Turkey accession renders uncertain, while accession of Western Balkan is going under various interpretations. Messages from the Berlin are clearly in favour of Croatia entering the EU, and others are likely to give consent for the whole Western Balkan (Paris), before closing up for the next expansion waves to indefinite future. Mild strengthening of the right-wing parties and eurosceptic perspective in the European Parliament, together with the institutional, political and economic weakening of the EU are some of the main reasons of why we should closely follow whether the EU is likely to keep up with the made promises, in the terms of enlargement


By DANICA VLAČIĆ
MILICA STEVULJEVIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA



Interview: Krisztina Nagy, spokesperson for Enlargement, Commissioner Olli Rehn

EU - a complicated club

'We are already in the phase of consolidation. It is very important that in according to the rules of EU, any European country that respects values of EU which is democracy, peace, respect for the human rights etc, may apply for joining the EU. However, this does not mean that EU has to accept all the applications.'... full story



Interview: Albert Maes, former EU ambassador to Bangkok, Tel Aviv, Belgrade

The Treaty of Lisbon is not dead

'I have great hopes that new Irish referendum is going to have the positive result. If we have the positive result we will have the decision making processes improved. And with the improvement, with the Treaty of Lisbon, I think we'll be able to tackle the issue of Western Balkan and its accession process.'... full story


(Published: 20.06.2009.)